alexy wrote in
:

"AAvK" wrote:


I like the idea but, would it be worse or merely not as good,
if I went with straight-in hex-head lag bolts instead of the
bench bolts? Does one have a serious advantage over the
other or would it be an equal call? I really want the better
of the two ideas, please. TIA!

Screws (lag bolts) into end grain tend not to be as strong. If you use
them, I'd suggest a hybrid: drill a 3/4" hole through your stretcher
in the path of the lag bolt and fill it with a 3/4" dowel, so that the
lag bolt goes through the dowel, and the dowel acts like the captured
nut of a bench bolt. I'd go with the bench bolts if I wanted to
disassemble more often than every 20 years; otherwise, I'd go with the
lag bolt and dowel. But that is intuition based on limited experience
(my SYP bench base is still very tight 10 years after assembling with
this method).

I did the same thing with my bench, it seems to be holding up well, after
about 3 years use...and I can take the bench apart if need be to move
it... I took some pictures while the bench was being made and put them on
my site, for those interested the link is:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/c/dchaynie...ne/benchpageon
e.htm

all on one line, what the word wrap...also I think the lags will hold
better if the dowel is turned so the face grain catches the threads...

hope this helps...

DCH